Hopefully, Equal Opportunities Will Never Exist

[Solly]

Was sat on the bus home from work thinking what a situation completely equal opportunities would lead to. A rather bad one.

Think about it. Those of you with children, what is the (main) thing that encouraged you to work harder, to go for those higher-income jobs? For yourself, partly, for your wife, partly as well. But I am hypothesising that providing the best possible start for your children is the main incentive.

..to provide them with the best schooling..a decent neighbourhood to grow up in..sports..clothes that at least aren't tatty..

Now, let's think for a moment that no matter how hard you try to work for your children's future, their "opportunities" are forced through some social policy to be equal. There would be no incentive to work more productively to provide for your kids future as any achievements you make in order to further their chances will be cancelled out by the social policies that would be implemented in order to have "equal opportunities" for all.

There would be less need to work hard. There would be less need to go for that income-boosting stressful job, as the incentives just to provide for yourself and your wife will not be as big as when the incentive included providing for your kids. Your productivity would fall. Consider this on a larger scale. Poor economic growth.

See where I am heading? Equal opportunities might sound a nice dream to aim for, but it's on a par with communism - sounds a good idea but clearly is not when examined beyond the spin and nice-sounding phrases.

Inequal opportunities are necessary for incentives - and as we all know, incentives are the driving force behind our market-based systems. And since inequal opportunities obviously exist, it's beneficial for our economy that they do.

[Japher]

Equal Opportunity does not equal Communism.

Equal Success would yield the nightmare you just described.

Yet, Equal Opportunit does not equal Equal Success.

You still have the opportunity to fail.

[Immortal Wombat]

equal opportunities != equal numbers of employees from each demographic group

equal opportunities == equal ratios of employees from each demographic group to members of population within each demographic group.


0/10

[Az]

Bodds

[Solly]

I didn't mention demographics once. Demographics are irrelevant for this line or argument.

Besides, IW, there are many, many industries where one demographic heavily outweights the other in employment without the existence of inequal opportunities.

[Cruddy]

I don't think there will ever be totally flat opporunity for all... but I must admit, the situation of grossly unfair opportunity is hardly ideal.

Why not try to smooth out the bumps rather than build out the barriers?

Don't see your way as being the least bumpy Bods.

[GePap]

I guess people who never have kids are a bunch fo sueless freaks. After all, without children, man does nothing to strive to succeed. I mena, look at that Loser Alexander the great. He neevr ahd kids, and he amounted to nothing. What did he think he was doing anyway?

Thinking that people do it all for the children is an arguement that is absurd on it face. Many of the most ambitious and driven people on earth could give a **** about their kids and what happens to them, even while they are alive.

[Solly]

Hey I am only putting out an idea to you guys to think about as well. Maybe when some parents come online they'll manage to see what I am hitting at.

[PLATO]

Equal educational opportunity is what is needed. This is a service provided by government and therefore should not be subject to the vast inequalities in opportunity and spending that are present. Complete equal opportunities is an impossibility for a huge number of reasons and is not worth considering as an argument. GePap states it well when he says that different goals for ones life (Hope you don't mind the extrapolation here Gepap) drive people in different directions. There is no such thing as equal opportunity, nor is it possible for there ever to be. What is needed is equal educational opportunity so that people may take full advantage of the other opportunities afforded to their individual lives so that they may obtain their individual goals.

[Ben Kenobi]

Many of the most ambitious and driven people on earth could give a **** about their kids and what happens to them, even while they are alive.

And many who have kids and take care of them are considered less ambitious. because of the career sacrifices.

How many of you consider a man who stays home to take care of the kids unambitious?

[Japher]

I consider a man who stays home takes care of his kids lucky.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Japher
I consider a man who stays home takes care of his kids lucky.

Wish I could!

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Would someone with more patience than I possess please explain the difference between "Equal OPPORTUNITIES" and communism?

He's going to be graduating soon. What the hell has happened to the education system?

[Sava]

It's so sad that so many people believe the crap in the first thread. I don't understand how people can be evil. The questions WHY? HOW? pop into my head whenever I read garbage like this. I guess this is a personal problem I must deal with. I must accept the fact that racism and bigotry exist. I must accept the fact that some people want to see other people smoldering in a pit.

I pray that future generations are mature enough to not tolerate this type of regressive thinking.

[Immortal Wombat]

edit: blah. Sod it.